A Place in this World
by Ukyou Kuonji
Summary: Naomi ponders her purpose in life, now that she has none as a Third.


A Place in This World  
an Armitage III fanfiction by Ukyou Kuonji  
  
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Armitage the Third and all those in her world are the creations of   
Taro Maki. North American rights held by Pioneer.  
No infringement is intended  
  
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It wasn't that she couldn't sleep; nothing of humanity was alien to   
her, after all. But there just didn't seem to be a point to it right   
now. She didn't need to sleep, like Ross did, and there was so much   
to think about.  
  
She stared at her former partner's prone form, watching as his massive   
chest rose and fell with each breath. She listened intently to his   
quiet snoring. So peaceful, so unlike the way things had been these   
last few days. If they were found, they were fugitives. For now,   
though, there was solace in the thought that most of Mars assumed   
that they were dead, or would the word be 'destroyed'?  
  
The segment of her mind responsible for word choice also pointed out   
to her that Ross was not a 'former' partner; they were no longer part   
of the police force, that much was true, but their partnership   
remained. It was just a different type of partnership, and Naomi   
Armitage struggled to find the right name for it.  
  
Were they married? Hardly. What court of law, what religion would   
recognize the union between a human and a Third? Especially now. It   
may have been one thing when the Thirds were first created: the first   
robots capable of procreation! Mars could be populated by Earthling   
men, expatriates on the Red Planet, and these hardy female Thirds.   
But with the reunion of the governments of Earth, the Thirds' presence   
as breeding stock was an affront to the Earth's feminist mores. As a   
symbol of female servitude, they had to be... removed... before Earth   
would permit an alliance to be formed between the two planets. Not   
only was the relationship she had with Ross beyond the confines of the   
law, her very existence had ceased to be legal.  
  
She would have to call him 'lover,' if she were to call him anything   
at all.  
  
In fact, she decided it would be best to dispense with labels like   
these altogether. Labels were part of the problem, after all. Nobody   
objected to Naomi Armitage; indeed, she was one of the finest cops on   
the force. She had the citations to prove it, even. But as a Third,   
well... even Ross had once said "You can't trust a robot..."  
  
It was before he learned that Armitage was a Third. Once he did, he   
had been too impressed to object. She had, in a small way, shown to   
him that she, and her fellow Thirds had heart, and soul, and emotion.   
The destruction of the Thirds that Rene van Claude was undertaking   
was literal murder, not just the removal of inconvenient mechanical   
nuisances.  
  
And Ross had cast in his lot with her, to fight for her survival   
against the will of two planets. She stared at him in amazement.   
He had surrendered his place in this world, his purpose in life, for   
her sake. He was no longer the detective he has studied to be, had   
spent his whole life being. All he had now... was her. Moisture   
began to form in one eye. All this for a robot with no apparant   
function in this world. Was this what love was?  
  
She clenched her fist in resolve. All right then... it's my duty to   
return that love to him as best I can. She smiled. It may not have   
been much of one, but it was a purpose... for the first time in her   
existance, she actually had a clear and defined purpose.  
  
And maybe that was enough. She climbed back under the blankets with   
him, and clutched his torso. Another smile burst forth as she closed   
her eyes. And this isn't even that hard....  
  
*****  
  
::weak wave::  
  
Believe it or not, this story has been bouncing around in my head all   
week; after staying up late Sunday evening watching Polymatrix, I woke   
up with most of this on Monday morning and scribbled a rough outline   
down. But until last nght, I despaired of having the time to actually   
write it.  
  
Then came that "Bet" fiasco; I needed to atone before I left. So in   
the course of a few wee hours last night, this came out. It's not   
quite like most of my stuff... hell, it's Armitage, isn't that enough?   
But I don't think it's all that bad...  
  
Anyway, now I can head off to AnimeIowa with a clear conscience. I'll   
be bringing my laptop for notetaking, and I hope to get it sent out   
before Rich Lawson does so for once ^_~ (no offense, Lawson-san...   
I'll see you there!)  
  
Itsu mo,  
Ucchan ^_^ 


End file.
